Council tax in the High Peak is to increase by 1.5 per cent - the lowest rise for more than a decade.

It is the smallest increase from High Peak Borough Council since 1998/99.

Council leader Tony Ashton said: "The Conservative administration was elected in 2007 on a promise to keep council tax increases low and this rise maintains the continued reduction in the level of increases.

"The strategic alliance with Staffordshire Moorlands is creating savings in the council’s back office costs whilst maintaining and improving service levels. It is at times like this we can pass on those savings to residents. It is noteworthy that the opposition parties did not support the budget, yet they made no alternative proposals."

Derbyshire County Council has also said that its section of the council tax will also rise by 1.5 per cent.

County councillor John Harrison said: "This is the lowest council tax increase by Derbyshire County Council since council tax began in 1993. We are mindful of the difficult times we are all in and the impact of any rise on household finances, so we have set a sensible budget.

"We are facing extra pressure on some of our services so we’ve managed to find extra money to pay for that demand. More elderly people now need care, so we’re putting in an extra £2.9 million to meet their needs.

"We’re also putting an extra £1.5m into looking after children in care and an extra £1.1m to meet the increased costs of sending rubbish to landfill."

The county council’s net budget for 2010/2011 is £513 million. Of this figure, £236 million comes from the government with the balance coming from council tax payers.

Derbyshire Constabulary has now agreed its budget and it means that the part of the council tax paid to police will also rise by 1.5 per cent.